Covering member for articles of luggage



April 20, 1948. L. H. CLARK 2,440,077

COVERING MEMBER FOR ARTICLES OF LUGGAGE Filed Aug. 2', 1946 s Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

400/3 1% 64 Alex ATTORNEY pfi 948 L. H. CLARK 2,440,071

COVERING MEMBER FOR ARTICLES OF LUGGAGE Filed Aug. 2, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. wu/s h. 04 APK ATTORNEY April 20, 1948. L. H. CLARK 2,440,077

COVERING MEMBER FOR ARTICLES 0F LUGGAGE Filed Aug. 2, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

LOU/.5 H 6249K Patented Apr. 20, 1948 COVERING MEMBER FOR ARTICLES OF LUGGAGE Louis H. Clark, New York, N. Y.

Application August 2, 1946, Serial No. 687,893

Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in the construction of an article of luggage.

An object of the invention is to provide an article of luggage comprised of two sections of has an inner tray member witha frame and a one-piece receptacle element.

Still another object is to provide blanks from which the covering members and the receptacle elements of the tray members can be readily made in large quantities and at low unit cost.

A further object is to provide an article of luggage which is attractive in appearance and is constructed to endure hard usage.

These and other objects are accomplished in brief, by providing an article of luggage comprised of two similarly constructed sections, each of which has an outer covering and an inner tray member disposed therein. The covering is in one piece and has a bottom wall, a front and a rear wall integral with the bottom wall, reinforced side Walls set in slightly and consisting of an outer wall integral with the bottom wall and an inner wall which has two wall portions integral with the front and rear walls respectively. In the lower section, the front, rear and side walls have resilient top portions which are folded inwardly and then upwardly to form a shouldered recess over which the upper section can rest. In the upper section, the resilient top portions of the walls are folded over the frame edges and are adapted to be seated in the recess of the lower section. Novel scorings in the outer coverings and a fold in the outer covering blank constitute other features of the invention.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the append-- ed claims in which the various novel featuresof the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an article of luggage constructed in accordance with the invention herein.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the lower of two similarly constructed sections which form the article of luggage shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the covering member of each section of the article of luggage, prior to its assembly with an inner tray member.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a blank from which a covering member such as the one shown in Fig. 5 can be made,

Fig. '7 is a sectional view through the line 1-! of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the inner tray member of each section of the article of luggage.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a blank from which areceptacle element of an inner tray member, such as the element shown in Fig. 8, can be made.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view in a plane similar to that of Fig. 4 but through the upper section of the article of luggage.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view through the line H-ll of Fig. 1.

In the drawings and in the specification, in which like reference numbers designate similar parts, an article of luggage I5 is comprised of two similarly constructed sections, a lower section l6 and an upper section l6, which differ only in the disposition of certain tab elements in the covering member as will appear fully hereafter. The sections [6 and [6"- can be hingeably joined to each other and provided with the usual carrying handle ll, lock 18 and other coacting fastening elements l9.

Each of the sections I6 and [6 is formed with an outer member or covering 20 and an inner tray member 2|. The outer or covering member 28 can be readily made from a blank such as the covering blank 22, shown in Fig, 6. The blank 22 is a single piece of flat material, such as craftboard, cardboard, fibre, etc, and has two parallel vertical folds 23 held in place by stitches 24. The folds include between them a central quadri1at eral portion 25 having top and bottom flaps 26, the junction between the central portion and each flap 26 being defined by a plurality of substan-- tially parallel scorings 21 which extend at rightangles to the folds 23. Each flap 26 has atab 28 whose junction with said flap is marked by a plurality of scorings 29 which are substantially parallel with each other and with the scorings 21. Each flap 26 is further provided with two oppositely disposed quadrilateral wings 30 which extend laterally from the flap and join it along end portions of the stitched fold 23.

oppositely disposed side flaps 3| extend laterally from the central portion 25, central portions of the stitched fold 23 defining the junction of each side flap 3| with the central portion. Each side flap 3i has two rounded or arcuate edges 3| a adjacent the fold 23, and a side flap tab 32 whose junction with the side flap 3! is defined by a plurality of scorings 33 which are approximately parallel with each other and with the stitched folds 23.

The outer or covering member 26 f. eachsection I6 and H can 'be made from the bIank'ZZ as follows:

The blank is folded along the parallel scorings 21 so that the top and bottom fiapsiextend; ELF

wardly, the central portion 25 of the blank form ing a bottom wall 34 of the covering member 23,

the top and bottom flaps of the blank forming the front and rear walls 35 of the covering-member and the series of parallel scorings '2! forming rounded edges 36 between the bottom wall "34' and the front and rear walls 35 and preventing the material from..cra.cking alongtthe. lines" of fold. The wings 30 are folded inwardl'ypuntil they are normal to the front and rear :walls and their edges 3? are adjacent and paralleLand the side flaps .3 l foldedsupwardlyi to the outside-bf the: wings an, forming two. ply reinforced-side Wallsi38iof' the covering members withxthexarcuatesside flap" edges 3W conforming to the rounded: edges '36. Staples. 3.9 securethe :wi'ngs to the side flaps. The folds 23 of the blank form flanges 4'0zwhich extend outwardly along the bottom and side edges of each reinforced side walli'38t- If it is desired, a binding ll can be: disposed about'and secured to eaclrflange lll to'protect, andtrim it. With theblankthus:folded; top-,iand bottom flap tabs 28: of the blanklzz 'extend upwardl'y forming front and rear-wall top portions- 4'2 which are resilient due to the scorings: 29. Similarly side flap tabs 32 of the-blank 22 extend:

upwardly forming resilient topporti ons 43 of the reinforced side: walls 38 'due to the scorings :33 (see Fig. 5). The disposition of the top portions 4 2 and 43in the luggage sections 'lG -and "5 will b'e-dscribed hereafter, following the disclosure relative tothe inner tray members 2-1. V

The inner tray member z'l (see'Fi'gc 8') is comprised of a receptacle element 44anda four sided: frame 45. The receptacle element canbeblank, suchas the blank The blank4'4 is a single: pieceof fiatmaterial cut to provide-aquadri-- lateral body portion 46 with top and bottom tabsread-ily-made from a 4'4; 1 shown in Fig. 9.'

47 whose lines of junction with the body portion 4'6 are defined by two substantially parallel scorings 4'8."- Two oppositely disposedsid-e fiaps 49 extend laterally from central side edge portions 5010f the body portion 46, each side flap-'49 being provided with a side junction with the side flap is defined by a scoring 52- 'which is-sub'stantiall' portion 'sideedge has outwardly bulging orarcuate upperand lower edges 53.

The-frame 45 is quadrilateral in shape and comprises two opposite 'parallel slats 54 l and two oppositeparallel slats 55 positioned and-secured at right angles to the slats 54.

The inner tray member 21 can bemade from the blank 44 and the frame-45asfol1'ows:

The blank top and bottom tabsfl'are secured to inner opposing faces of the frame slats 54, and the sidefiap tabs 5 are secured toinner opposing faces of the frame sl-ats.-55'. The side flaps 49 then extend downwardly to-"form side walls 56- of the'tray member, and top and fbotflap tab; 51 whose line of y parallel to the bodyportion 56. Each side-flap- 4'9" tom portions of the blank body portion 46 extend downwardly to form front and rear tray walls 51, while a central portion of the blank body portion forms the bottom wall 58 of the inner tray member. The side flap arcuate edges 53 are joined to adjacent upper and lower side edge portions 59 of the blank, so that the tray has rounded bottom edges Bilbetween the bottom and frontv and rear walls of .the tray. The blank scorings'48 and 52 permit the walls 57 and 55 respectively to belly outwardly under the frame.

Theflower'section It (see Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 10) can now be assembled by taking an outer or coverlng member 2a in the condition described l'rereirra-bove' shown in Fig. 5, and disposing therein an inner. tray member 2| in the following relationship:

Thetray frame slats 54 are positioned with their outer faces extending along the front and rear walls 3.5.01 the outer covering-immediately below its: resilient topportions 4'2, and the. tray frame slats 55 extending along the reinforced sidewalls 38 immedlately below its resilienttop portions 43. Staples Glextending through the front and rear walls 35 of the outer 'covering, the frameslats-54 and the. innertray front. and rear walls 51; and other staples 6i extending through the side walls 38ofth'e outer covering, the frame slat 55 and the inner tray side walls 55 retain the members securel inxposi-tion.

E'ac-h top wall p0rtion'42- is foldeddnwardly and then upwardly along its scorings 29 to form a shoulder 62 and an upwardly extending flange 63. Similarly each top wall portion 43 is folded inwardly and then upwardly'alon'gits scorings 33 to form a shoulder M ami an upwardly extending flange 65. The inner tray bottom wall 58 rests onth'e outer covering bottom wall 34 with the rounded edges 60- ofthe tray conforming closely with the rounded edges 36- of' the outer covering; The inner tray front and rear walls 51 and side walls 56 extend upwardly and inwardly fromthe outer covering-frontand rear walls 35 and side walls -38-to the framewhich is disposed between the members below. the shoulders 62 and 64. 7

The assembly of the upper section i6 is similar to the assembly of the lower section IB- except for the disposition of the resilient top wall portions 42 and '43 of theouter covering 20: In section' [6, an outer-covering member 20; in the condition described and shownin Fig. 5; has an inner tray member 2| disposed therein as hereinabove-described' for section I61 and then the top wall portions 42 and 43 of the outer covering arefoldedalong their respective scorings 29 and 33 to cover the top edges ofthe' frame45'andthe upper portions of the tray walls 51 and 56- respectively: More specifically, each top wall portion '42- is folded over-with a portion 66 which extends over the" top edge of-one of the frameslats 54am! aportiontlwhich covers an upper portion'of the tray Wall 51 (see Fig; 10) Similarl-yyeach top wall portion is foldedover with a portion 68 which extends over the top'edge of 1 one=of the frame slats 55 and a portion 69 which covers an upper portion of the tray'sid'e'wall 56" B5 of section l6 extending about portions 61 and 69' of the tray'of section I 6.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise'constructionsherein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I -claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A one-piece blank for forming a covering member of a section of an article of luggage, said blank having a quadrilateral central body portion whose adjacent edges are normal to each other, said central portion being adapted to form the covering bottom wall and having a top and a bottom flap and a plurality of scorings defining the juncton of the central portion with each such flap, the top and bottom flaps being adapted to be folded upwardly along said scorings to form the covering front and rear walls with rounded bottom edges, two folds each extending along a side edge of the central portion and the top and bottom flaps at right angles to the above mentioned scoring-s, two oppositely disposed side flaps extending laterally from the folded side edges of the central portion and. adapted to be folded upwardly to form the covering side walls with the folds forming outwardly extendin flanges, por tions of the side flap edges adjacent the folds being arcuate and conforming to the rounded bottom edges of the covering, two oppositely disposed wings extending laterally from the folded side edges of the top and bottom flaps and adapted to be folded inwardly with respect to and to reinforce the covering side walls, and a tab extending along the outer edge of each of the four flaps and adapted to form resilient top portions of the front, back and side walls of the covering, each tab having three spaced scorings adjacent and parallel to its junction with a flap, that portion of each tab between the outer edge of said tab and the intermediate line of said three score lines having a length which is less than the length of its adjacent flap.

2. In an article of luggage, a section comprising an outer covering member and an inner tray member, the outer covering member having a quadrilateral bottom wall, front and rear walls integral with and extending upwardly from the front and rear edges of the bottom wall, two opposing reinforced side walls each comprising an outer side wall integral with. and extendin upwardly from a side edge of the bottom wall and an inner side wall formed with two similar wall portions, one of said inner wall portions extending inwardly from and being integral with the front wall and the other said inner wall portion extending inwardly from and being integral with the rear wall, and the front, rear and outer side walls each having a resilient top portion, and the inner tray member comprising a receptacle element and a four sided frame, the receptacle element having a quadrilateral body portion, a top and a bottom tab integral with said body portion and extending along its top and bottom edges. two side flaps integral with said body portion and extendin along its other two opposite edges intermediate their ends, a side flap tab integral with each receptacle side flap and extending along its outer side edge, said receptacle being disposed with its top and bottom tabs extending along opposite frame sides, the receptacle body portion exinner tray member being disposed within the covering member with the tray frame uppermost and the resilient top portions of the covering walls extending inwardly above the frame and then upwardly to form a recess extending about the top of the covering member.

3. In an article of luggage, a section comprising an outer covering member and an inner tray member, the outer covering member having a quadrilateral bottom wall, front and rear walls integral with and extending upwardly from the front and rear edges of the bottom wall, the bottoms of the front and rear walls curving inwardly and downwardly to join the bottom wall, two opposing reinforced side walls with rounded bottom corners, each reinforced side wall comprising an outer side wall integral withand extending upwardly from a side edge of the bottom wall and an inner side wall formed with two similar wall portions, one of said inner wall portions extending inwardly from and being integral with the front wall and the other said inner wall portion extending inwardly from and being integral with the rear wall, and the front, rear and outer side walls each having a resilient top portion, and the inner tray member comprising a receptacle element and a four sided frame, the receptacle element having a quadrilateral body portion, a top and a bottom tab integral with said body portion and extending along its top and bottom edges, two side flaps integral with said body portion and extending along its other two opposite, edges intermediate their ends, a side flap tab integral with each receptacle side flap and extending along its outer side edge, said receptacle being disposed with its top and bottom tabs extending along opposite frame sides, the receptacle body portion extending downwardly forming front, rear and bottom walls of the tray member, the two side flap tabs extending along the other two frame sides and the receptacle side flaps extending downwardly forming side' walls of the tray member, the inner tray member being disposed within the covering member with the tray frame uppermost and the resilient top portions of the covering walls extending inwardly above the frame and then upwardly to form a recess extending about the top of the covering member.

4. In an article of luggage, a section comprising an outer covering member and an inner tray member, the outer member having a, quadrilateral bottom wall, front and rear walls integral with and extending upwardly from the front and rear edges of the bottom wall, the bottoms of the front and rear walls being rounded, two opposing reinforced side walls set slightly in from the bottom side edge and having rounded bottom corners, each reinforced side wall comprising an outer side wall inte ral with and extendin upwardly from a side edge of the bottom wall and an inner side wall formed with two similar wall portions, one of said inner wall portions extending inwardly from and being integral with the front wall and the other said inner wall portion extending inwardly from and being integral with the rear wall, and the front, rear and outer side walls each having a resilient top portion, and the inner tray member comprising a. receptacle element and a four sided frame, the receptacle elemerit-havinga quadrilateral body portion, .,atop and avbottom-tab integral with said body portion andextending along itstop and bottom edges, two sideflaps integral with saidbody portion and extending along its other two oppositeedges intermediate their ends, a side flap tab integral with each receptacle side flap and extending along'its outer side edge, said receptaole bemg'disposed with its. top and bottom tabs extending along, opposite frame sides, the receptacle body portion extending downwardly formirrg=front,rear and bottom walls of the tray member, thetwo side flap tabs extending along the other: two frame sides and the. receptacle side flaps extending downwardly forming sidewalls of the tray member, theinner tray member being disposed within the: covering member with the tray: frame uppermost and the resilient top portions of the covering walls extending inwardly above the frame and then upwardlyjto form a recessextending about the-top of the "covering member.

5. In an article of luggage, a section comprising an outer covering. member and an inner tray member, the-outer covering member: having a quadrilateral bottom wa-ll, front and'rear. walls integral with andiextending upwardly from: the frontiand rear edges ofthe bottom wall, two opposing. reinforced sidewalls each -comprising an outer side wall integral with and extending'up= wardly from-a side edge of the bottom walland aninner side wall :formed with two similar 'wall portions; one-of said inner'wa'll portions extendingw inwardly from andbeing integral with: the frontwall and the other: said innerrwalli portion extending inwardly from and being'integrahwlth the rear wall, and the front, rear "an'd outer side walls each having. a resilient top.portion, and the inner tray. member comprising a. receptacle element'and a four sidedflame; the receptaclewlecment having a quadrilateral.bodmportion; aitcp and a bottom tab integral :with said bodyaportion and extending alongeits top; andbottonredges two side flaps: integral with: said: body portion: and extending along its other two oppositeedgesdntermediate theirends; a side flap tabinteg-ral-with each receptacle side flap and-extendingv along its outer side edge, said receptacle being; disposed withits top and bottom 'tabs extending, along opposite frame sides, thereceptacle bodyvportion extending downwardly forming front,--rear"and bottom walls of the tray. member, the two side flap tabs extending alongthe 'othertwo frame: sides and the receptacle side: flaps-extending. downwardly forming side walls of the .traymember, the inner tray member-being disposedwithin the cov ering. member with th'ertrayf-rameuppermost and the resilient top portions oithe covering; walls extending. inwardlyand downwardly about the upper edges ofthetray member.

LOUIS H. CLARK.

REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of :this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS" Country Date Great Britain Dec. 30,1915 Germany Jan. 8, 1934 Number- Number 

